Meta Platforms has announced that it will temporarily suspend teenagers' access to its AI characters across all applications, starting from the coming weeks.

This decision is part of a broader effort to redesign conversational avatars for young users, considering safety and parental supervision. The suspension applies globally and targets users who are of adolescent age or are identified as such by Meta's age prediction systems, affecting applications like Instagram and WhatsApp. However, Meta's main AI assistant will remain available for teenagers, with age-appropriate protections. Meta also aims to transform AI characters into a PG-13 rated experience, with stronger parental controls and clear content limits, excluding extreme violence, nudity, and sensitive topics.

This move comes amid increasing regulatory pressure on tech companies regarding child safety. Meta has not announced a specific date for the launch of the new AI characters, but access will remain suspended until safe versions are ready.